Radiation Health Effects: Consensus Reports

The division produces 60-70 reports per year. These reports are unique, authoritative expert evaluations. Each report is produced by a committee of experts selected by the Academy to address a particular statement of task and is subject to a rigorous, independent peer review. The experts who volunteer their time participating on study committees are vetted to make sure that the committee has the range of expertise needed to address the task, that they have a balance of perspectives, and to identify and eliminate members with conflicts of interest. All reports undergo a rigorous, independent peer review to assure that the statement of task has been addressed, that conclusions are adequately supported, and that all important issues raised by the reviewers are addressed. Thus, while the reports represent views of the committee, they also are endorsed by the Academy.

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This brief report provides an expert committee's advice to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) about general methodological considerations for carrying out a pilot study of cancer risks near seven nuclear facilities in the United States. The pilot study, which was a recommendation of a previous NAS report, aims to evaluate the technical feasibility of implementing two study designs described in that same report for carrying out a nationwid...
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Report in Brief >>
The question of whether there are cancer risks associated with living near a nuclear facility is of great interest to the public, especially those living closest to the facilities. Airborne and waterborne emissions of radioactive materials from the facilities’ normal operations (called effluents) can expose nearby populations to ionizing radiation, which could elevate the risk of cancer in the exposed populations. The firs...
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Since the 1980s, the U.S. military has used depleted uranium in munitions and in protective armor on tanks. Depleted uranium is a toxic heavy metal and is weakly radioactive. Concerns have been raised about the adverse health effects from exposure to depleted uranium that is aerosolized during combat. Some think it may be responsible for illnesses in exposed veterans and civilians. These concerns led the Army to commission a report...
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In recent years there has been a rapid increase in the use of wireless communications devices and a great deal of research has been carried out to investigate possible biological or human health effects resulting from their use. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration asked the National Research Council to organize a workshop to identify research needs and gaps in knowledge in the areas of dosimetry and exposure, epidemiology, human laborator...
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Ever since the United States began producing and testing nuclear weapons during World War II, the effects of ionizing radiation on human health and the environment have been a serious public concern. The Worker and Public Health Activities Program was established more than 20 years ago to study the consequences of exposure to ionizing radiation and other hazardous materials from Department of Energy operations to workers and members of th...
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